Q:
What is the Society of St. Vincent de Paul?
A: The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international, non-profit
organization that provides social services to people in need. The
Society derives its inspiration from the philosophy and works of
its patron, St. Vincent de Paul.
Q: Who
do you help?
A: The Society of St. Vincent de Paul helps all people, regardless
of creed, opinion, color, caste or origin. “Need not creed” determines
who is helped and how.
Q: What differentiates the Society of St. Vincent de Paul from
most other charitable organizations?
A: The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is one of many quality
charities in the world whose members strive to help the less
fortunate. What
separates ours from most other charities is the way in which
volunteers conduct their work. Instead of only helping those
who come to us,
our members provide one-on-one service to the less fortunate,
going into people’s homes to learn the extent of their
needs before determining how to help. The assistance may include
not only immediate
help, but also assistance geared toward aiding individuals and
finding ways to resolve issues that put them in a position of
need in the
first place. In addition, unlike many other organizations, 100
percent of all cash donations made to us, as well as all profits
from the
sale of donated items in our Thrift Store go to our programs
to help the needy. For more information, please refer to our
services page.
Q: How do I volunteer?
A: Please refer to our volunteer page to select the opportunity
that is best suited to you. Volunteers are needed at the Parish
Conference
level to directly help those in need, as well as at the Society’s
Thrift Store.
Q: How do I donate money?
A: You can donate online or send money directly to the Sacramento
Council at 830 Lake Oak Court, Sacramento, California, 95864, or
to your local parish Conference. A list of Parish Conferences may
be found here.
Q: How do I donate goods?
A: If you would like to donate goods, please drop them off at the
St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, located at 6105 Sunrise Vista
Drive, between 9:30 a.m. through 6:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
If you would like to arrange for your donated good to be picked
up, please call the
Thrift Store at (916) 729-4077.
Q: How do I receive assistance?
A: If you need assistance, please refer to our directory page to
select the Conference closest to you. If you call your local Conference,
a Vincentian will visit you.
Q: Do you have to be Catholic to receive services or to volunteer
with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
A: No. You do not need to be Catholic to either receive aid or volunteer
with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. We help people regardless
of their religious beliefs and accept volunteers from all religions.
Q: Who was St. Vincent de Paul?
A: St. Vincent de Paul was born in 1581 in France. In 1625, he established
the Congregation of the Mission, now known as the Vincentians, a
community of priests who undertook to renounce ecclesiastical advancement
and to devote themselves to work in small towns and villages in France.
In an age of sectarian strife, he instructed his priests that Protestants
were to be treated as brothers, with respect and love. Out of his
community rose an order of nuns called the Daughters (or Sisters)
of Charity, devoted to nursing those who were sick and poor. St.
Vincent de Paul died on September 27, 1660.
Q: Who was Blessed Frederick Ozanam?
A: Frederick Ozanam was born on April 23, 1813 in Milan. Frederick
was raised in Lyon, France and was sent to Paris to study law.
In 1833, he founded the Society of St. Vincent de Paul with
a group
of other young men at the Sorbonne University of Paris. Frederick
Ozanam was not a priest, but a layman who was married and
had a family.
The Society spread
very quickly throughout Europe and the world. Under the strain
of his work, as well as serving the poor through the Society,
his health
gave out and he died in 1853 at the age of 40. He was beatified
by Pope John Paul II in Paris in August 1997.
St Vincent
De Paul
(916) 729-4077
6105 Sunrise Vista Drive
Citrus
Heights, California, 95610
